- Primary Subject: The identity of the new Lady Whistledown
- Key Update: Penelope has officially retired the Lady Whistledown persona after Bridgerton season 4, leading to a mystery writer claiming the moniker in the finale.
- Status: Speculated
- Last Verified: February 27, 2026
- Quick Answer: The main suspects of the new Lady Whistledown include Hyacinth Bridgerton, Alfie the footman, Varly from the Featheringtons, and Eloise Bridgerton.
Bridgerton season 4 may have had the spotlight on Benedict Bridgerton securing his match of the season, but what's a spotlight without the iconic gossip columnist? Considering Penelope's exposed persona to the public, writing her paper may not be as fun as it used to be. So, what happened to Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton, and is she getting replaced?
WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Bridgerton season 4, so proceed with caution!
What Happened to the Real Lady Whistledown? Retirement Explained
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Dearest Gentle Reader: Penelope Bridgerton has lost her power as Lady Whistledown. She is no longer the wallflower who could gather her resources for writing the papers without being compromised for exposing their secrets to the ton.
Not to mention, Lady Whistledown has become a puppet for the Queen, so much so that she is forced to tend to write about Benedict his match, over the major bet placed by the ruler of the ton.
As much as Penelope wanted to continue the legacy, she put her foot down and announced her retirement. Officially. This is because Lady Whistledown was a great and powerful persona who needed to vocalize what Penelope couldn't. Now that she has become a part of the Bridgertons, a prestigious family, privileged to visit the Queen, she believes that her role as the gossip columnist has come to a rightful end.
But how could this be? While Penelope ended things with her writer persona, who is the new Lady Whistledown that wrote the papers in the ending of season 4?
Who Could Be the New Lady Whistledown in the Ton?
Uncovering the true identity of Lady Whistledown has always been a fun game to play for viewers (and the ton), but Bridgerton season 4 looms as a much greater force: who is the writer that claimed the moniker to start the gossip papers again? There are plenty of theories from fans.
The first suspect is Hyacinth Bridgerton. Particularly because of her growing concern that without the Whistledown papers, no one would publish about her debut. Even though LD was never replaced in Julia Quinn's novels, this means the series is taking on a fresh new take.
Consider the part where Hyacinth quite enjoyed hiding in the shadows when she dressed up as a maid to attend Cressida Penwood's party.
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Another potential suspect is Varly, the former head of maids at the Featheringtons, who almost always captures the right information when they need it. Along with her in the maiden service is Alfie, the footman who helped Sophie attend the masquerade ball. Frankly, because of his many hidden talents (such as sewing), no one would be able to suspect him at all!
However, as many fans pointed out, the first season of Bridgerton established that servants barely have spare time to write and publish while attending to their house chores, let alone write and publish a paper overnight without stress.
The last suspect would be Eloise Bridgerton, for her fondness for books and "newfound superpower" of matchmaking Posy to follow her dreams instead of her mother.
Some fans supposed the possibility that Penelope may have faked her retirement to reclaim her privacy, but surely, this would be a stretch.
All we can do for now is wait until Bridgerton season 5 releases.
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